Pages in this set

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GCSE ANTHOLOGY POETRY RELATIONSHIPS
THE MANHUNT Simon Armitage

· The Manhunt is written from the perspective of the wife of a soldier who has sustained
serious injuries at war and has returned home. The poem explores the physical and mental
effects of living with injuries sustained when on active service…

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exploring the altered body of her husband. The idea of the ladder is reflective of the
effort involved in the wife's gradual search for answers.

Comparison
In Paris with You The male speaker in the poem In Paris with You is unwilling to discuss his
experiences of the past, instead…

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· The traditional territory of lovers (""Flowers"" and ""wine"") is replaced by alternatives: for
example, ""a grass ditch"" is an improbable romantic location. There is simplicity and
perfection to ""the whole of the summer sky"", an image rich in meaning, a visual feast for a
loving couple lying down together…

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he just wants to enjoy the moment rather than thinking of the future or the past.

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Comparison
Born Yesterday, Hour
· The poem compares well to Born Yesterday in that each poem rejects traditional ideas.

Hour is also about a relationship blossoming in ordinary settings, focusing on the preciousness of the
present time rather than the past and future.

QUICKDRAW Carol-Ann Duffy

Quickdraw is a one-sided…

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· The poem also makes use of intimate physical words and phrases, suggesting genuine closeness
between the two lovers: ""In my ear"", ""hear me groan"", ""tongue"", ""heart"", ""Down on my
knees, I fumble"" and ""kiss"".

Comparison
Nettles
Like Quickdraw, Nettles makes use of imagery from a different context to bring…

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BROTHERS Andrew Forster

The poem Brothers is about a boy spending an afternoon with his younger brother and his friend, and explores the
relationship between siblings. It is written from an adult perspective but considers the feelings of the older brother
who thinks of his younger brother as an inconvenience.

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Structure
· The poem does not use rhyme or have a strict pattern to its rhythm. This is typical of modern poetry.
· There are three stanzas; they recount three stages of the afternoon. The first stanza sets the scene,
showing the relationship between the speaker and his brother as…

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PRAISE SONG FOR MY MOTHER Grace Nichols

The title of this poem makes clear its subject. A praise song is a traditional form from many African cultures
and is often sung rather than being written down. This poem is a child's celebration of her mother, explaining
her qualities and the…

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sentences) and grammar reflects the perspective of childhood, and perhaps also hints at dialect
from her earlier years.
· The first four stanzas all end with a verb (""fathoming"", ""mantling"", ""streaming"" and
""replenishing""), indicating that the speaker sees the mother as active. She is described as
always doing things.